From injury comes opportunity

Tuesday

Back in Montana, Max Copeland had a routine before high school football games, a set of rituals that now inspires one word.

"Stupid," Missouri's offensive guard said.

"I just remember taking ungodly amounts of caffeine and listening to death metal," he continued. "A 7 o'clock game, I'd start about fifth period, which was about 2 o'clock. And I remember I'd show up to kickoff and I'd be just exhausted. My stomach would hurt. I was pretty sure I had an ulcer. But it was just rock 'n' roll. I'd head-butt a few lockers and have a hell of a time."

Copeland figures he'll have an impulse to recreate those scenes on Saturday when he makes his first start since 2008, his senior year at Billings West High School. The temptation, he said, will be to wake up at 6 a.m., crank his beloved Motörhead and "start head-banging."

But the physics major is also smart enough to know better.

"My intensity, I consider that a pretty big edge for me," said Copeland, who will start at right guard in the 6 p.m. opener against Southeastern Louisiana. "And I need to make sure I maximize that so I don't burn too hot too quick."

With a thick red beard and a wild mane to match, the 6-foot-3, 290-pound Copeland could pass for one of William Wallace's Scottish sidekicks in the film "Braveheart." Missouri Coach Gary Pinkel made the same observation on his radio show last night, saying the former walk-on looks like one of the movie's "berserk warriors" on the practice field.

But Pinkel nearly had the same player in tears two Saturdays ago. That's when Pinkel summoned Copeland to his office to deliver some news: He had earned a scholarship.

"I'm not that emotional of a dude," Copeland said. "But I was emotional, man. Very emotional. Just because I've played that story in my mind a thousand times before and dreamed about what it's like."

The dream isn't done there. An inexplicable string of injuries has left Missouri without what would have been four of its top 10 offensive linemen heading into the season. That list includes senior guard Jack Meiners, who's out for at least a week with a strained knee ligament suffered Thursday.

Once Travis Ruth was lost for the season with a torn triceps tendon a few weeks earlier, MU planned to rotate Copeland and freshman Evan Boehm at left guard, but Meiners' injury erased those plans. Instead, Boehm will become the first true freshman offensive lineman to start in Pinkel's 12 seasons at MU.

Copeland, a career backup, will start on the right side.

The starting five — there's also left tackle Elvis Fisher, center Mitch Morse and right tackle Justin Britt — have barely practiced together heading into this week, though Boehm and Copeland played the first-team guard positions extensively in camp while Meiners filled in for Britt, who was recovering from a broken foot.

"We've still got a week," Britt said. "There's a lot of things you can get done in a week. We'll be fine."

Co-offensive line coach Josh Henson, in his fourth year at MU, had no explanation for the injuries on the line. MU also lost backup tackle Taylor Chappell with a torn knee ligament and guard Mark Hill, whose career was ended by a blood clot.

"First two years here, we practiced the same way we practice now and did the same things we're doing," Henson said. "I don't know if it's just luck of the draw or a guy falls here or a guy falls there and things just happen."

For Copeland, the injuries have led to a dream that came true only when he stopped making it his goal.

"And that was kind of hard to do, because since I was a kid, before I could form complete sentences, that's what I knew I wanted to do," Copeland said. "But that's not what it's about, because if I set being a starter as a goal, that means my goal will be accomplished before the game starts. And that's dangerous. That's not … I don't want that. Because that's complacency. And that's the last thing I need right now.

"I don't care if they have me at fourth string. But if they're going to give me some snaps and let me knock some heads, that's what it's all about."

That doesn't mean Copeland won't cherish his first start. Talking with a couple of reporters yesterday inside the Mizzou Athletics Training Complex, Copeland motioned across the street at Memorial Stadium.

"This is a great place," he said. "I love my brothers here. I love our coaching staff. I love this part of the country. Hell, just look at that, man. I'm a part of that, you know. … You didn't build this place, but you inherited it and you get to be a part of that. It's still surreal to me. It's like a dream."

INJURY UPDATE: Meiners could be back for next week's Southeastern Conference opener against Georgia, Pinkel said. Cornerback Kip Edwards and free safety Braylon Webb, both nursing knee injuries, are questionable for Saturday's game.

It was never much of an option, but Pinkel had been leaving a sliver of hope for Henry Josey. Finally, yesterday, Pinkel said the tailback definitely won't play this season. But a scene on the practice field Sunday was promising. After having three knee surgeries in seven months, Josey was running 110-yard sprints. His runs ended with a hug from Pinkel, the coach said.

"He'll be back one of these days," Pinkel said.

Josey said he's not ready to put a date on his return.

"If I put a timetable on it and then I don't meet it," he said, "then I'll be really upset about it."

FOUR FOR SURE: Besides Boehm, three more freshmen will play this season: receivers Dorial Green-Beckham and Sean Culkin and tailback Russell Hansbrough. Green-Beckham and Culkin are listed second and third, respectively at the Y-receiver position. In years past that spot was labeled tight end, though it's been a stand-up slot receiver role since MU went to the spread offense in 2005.

Culkin is still recovering from a broken ring finger and might not play Saturday, Pinkel said. Hansbrough is the No. 3 tailback behind starter Kendial Lawrence and backup Marcus Murphy.

TO BE CONTINUED: The only positions left unsettled on the depth chart are parts of the kicking game. Mitch Hall and Jake Hurrell are listed as even for the PAT/field goal long-snapping job, as are kickers Trey Barrow and Andrew Baggett. They'll kick in practice today and tomorrow and by Thursday the staff will have decided on a starter, Pinkel said.

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